Linked Up: 12/19/11
December 20, 2011
We've hit a bit of a slow spot with schools out for break and most contests reserved for holiday showcases and the like.
Here are some suggestions if you have some time for some reading between now and the start of 2012.
High school coaches try to bring basketball back to basics (Detroit News)
For most of the last decade, we've heard about the recessing of basketball fundamentals even among elite high school players. Enter Ben Kelso, Marshall Thomas and a number of other Michigan coaches who have pledged to end that trend. Tom Markowski tells us how the Metro Detroit Basketball Coaches Association aims to do so.
Lantzy retires after more than 4 decades as Ike grid coach (Macomb County Advisor & Source)
Utica-Eisenhower coach Bob Lantzy has been his school's only varsity football coach. He took four teams to MHSAA Finals and this fall became one of only nine state football coaches to win more than 900 games. He has retired after 41 seasons, and Kevin Lozon fills us in on the legacy.
Tabahn Afrik poised for greatness in pool for West Ottawa (Holland Sentinel)
The Holland area has its next big swimming star. Dan D'Addona introduces us to Tabahn Afrik, a freshman at Holland West Ottawa who qualified for the MHSAA Division 1 Finals in two events in his first meet this season.
High school basketball: History of class hoops is just that (South Bend Tribune)
"Hoosiers" made Indiana's former one-class basketball tournament known on a grander scale. But Indiana went to classes (similar to Michigan's) beginning in 1997-98. Al Lesar tells us how some in the state are attempting to revert to one class.
Today in the MHSAA: 10/22/18
October 22, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
Lower Peninsula Girls Golf, Boys Tennis and Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals dominated the non-football headlines this weekend, and you'll find coverage of all on Second Half. Today's "Today" list instead includes 10 headliners of note from District boys soccer, league volleyball and LP cross country.
1. Boys Soccer: Unranked Utica Ford upset top-ranked Troy Athens 1-0 to win a Division 1 District title – Macomb Daily
2. Boys Soccer: No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian downed No. 5 Holland Christian 4-1 in a Division 2 District Final – Holland Christian
3. Boys Soccer: No. 5 Detroit Catholic Central prevailed in a Division 1 District Final 3-2 in overtime over No. 9 Novi – Observer & Eccentric
4. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 9 North Muskegon downed Division 2 No. 10 Whitehall to win the West Michigan Conference Tournament championship and a share of the overall league title – Local Sports Journal
5. Boys Soccer: Griffin Doran’s goal gave Haslett a 1-0 Division 2 win over DeWitt and its first District boys soccer title since 1999 – Lansing State Journal
6. Boys Soccer: Division 4 No. 3 Kalamazoo Hackett won its eighth straight District title, downing Battle Creek Calhoun Christian – JoeInsider.com
7. Cross Country: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart swept championships at the annual Class D championship meet; both teams are ranked No. 2 in LPD4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
8. Volleyball: Division 3 honorable mention Muskegon Western Michigan Christian came back multiple times to get past Ludington and win the Lakes 8 Conference Tournament – Local Sports Journal
9. Cross Country: The Hudson girls (LPD4 T-No. 10) and Erie-Mason boys clinched Lenawee County Athletic Association championships – Adrian Daily Telegram
10. Boys Soccer: Muskegon Orchard View outlasted rival Oakridge 5-4 to claim a Division 3 District championship – Local Sports Journal